Chapter 209
Chapter 209
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 209
Chapter Title: The Apostle Xenonia
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The soldiers' faces were etched with terror.
The ‘Black Existence’.
In Iyer, it had been dismissed as mere rumor, yet here it stood before their eyes.
The power of the ‘Black Existence’ that incinerated hundreds of soldiers in a single blow was far more terrifying than the tales had suggested.
“Killed the Earth Dragon, they said…”
Someone muttered.
Now, there was no choice but to believe.
The ‘Black Existence’ was real, and for reasons unknown, it was hostile to them.
“F-find Sir Oyen!”
“Report to the Commander-in-Chief!”
“Form ranks! Snap out of it and form ranks!”
The knights, belatedly regaining their composure, bellowed orders to rally the soldiers.
They had decided they couldn’t just stand there and take it.
The soldiers seemed to share the sentiment, scrambling to form their lines.
As expected of a nation once hailed as the Empire’s rival, the soldiers’ movements were disciplined and swift.
“Fucking idiots.”
Seo Woojin snorted derisively.
Their power couldn’t stop him.
Be it a hundred, a thousand, or ten thousand.
The strength of his Demon King Transformation was potent enough to challenge all of Iyer single-handedly.
“To face me, you’d need at least Guardians.”
Even then, at least three for any semblance of a fight.
But Iyer had no one who had reached the Transcendent Realm.
No—only one.
Only Holy King Mardetain was believed to have attained it.
He wouldn’t personally lead troops here, so no one in this city could handle Seo Woojin.
‘What to do?’
He could simply slaughter everyone in sight.
It wouldn’t even be difficult.
The only issue was the time it would take; his abilities were more than sufficient.
Yet Seo Woojin hesitated.
‘My task is to halt their advance, not exterminate them all.’
The Emperor seemed to desire the latter, which only fueled his reluctance.
Just enough.
Enough to ensure they never even considered marching on the Empire again.
“That should do it.”
Having settled on a course, Seo Woojin raised his sword.
The soldiers flinched visibly.
“Time to pay the price.”
For plundering, raping, and invading lands of the innocent.
“Die.”
His wings beat fiercely, and his figure plummeted before the foremost soldier.
“B-block…!”
The soldier thrust his spear in horror from point-blank range, but it sliced futilely through empty air.
Slash—!
Instead, Seo Woojin’s sword grazed his neck.
Spurt—!
Blood erupted skyward, unleashing a crimson downpour.
“Fuck, attack!”
“Kill him! Kill!”
“In the name of the gods!”
Overwhelmed by primal fear that numbed their reason, the soldiers charged.
“Don’t break formation!”
The knights shouted to rein them in, but it was far too late.
Like moths drawn to a bonfire, the soldiers hurled themselves toward the death incarnate that was Seo Woojin.
Kwa-gwang-gwang-gwang—!
A casual swing of his sword toward them unleashed a storm, sending chunks of flesh scattering through the air.
A single stroke claimed dozens of lives.
Yet they pressed on.
Even knowing it meant death, their legs kept moving.
“Tch.”
Seo Woojin wiped the blood from his face and clicked his tongue.
‘A little annoying.’
He wanted to deploy a massive skill and thin their numbers in one go.
The reason he held back was that the city held more than just Iyer’s mongrels.
Ordinary civilians had fled the soldiers, barricading themselves in their homes.
If Seo Woojin disregarded their safety and opted for an easy cull?
The civilians would inevitably get caught in the crossfire.
It was the Iyer soldiers who needed to pay—not them—so Seo Woojin had no choice but to endure the hassle.
‘A skill suited for times like this would be handy.’
His skills were overwhelmingly powerful, but they lacked versatility.
Having even one like Kim Dahye’s, perfect for such scenarios, wouldn’t hurt…
“Hm?”
In the midst of mindlessly carving through soldiers, lost in idle thought, Seo Woojin suddenly whipped his head around.
“This is…?”
An ominous aura prickled his senses.
‘Stronger than the Empire’s Guardians.’
A transcendent powerhouse lurked in this city.
And the more shocking revelation…
“Demonic Energy?”
The aura he’d just sensed wasn’t mana or holy power—it was pure Demonic Energy.
“Ha!”
Only one being could exude Demonic Energy to that degree.
“An Apostle.”
The first he’d laid eyes on since Gerald, Reina, and Ruonbali.
The corner of Seo Woojin’s mouth curled upward.
“Yeah, I figured you lot were tangled up in this.”
Sung Yura’s sudden madness, the outbreak of war.
Only the Apostles possessed the power and cunning to orchestrate such chaos.
“Scram.”
His sword traced a vast circle around him.
Crunch-crunch-crunch—!
The charging soldiers crumpled, their torsos severed from legs like rotten straw.
Blood flowed in rivers, but Seo Woojin paid them no further mind.
“That direction?”
Instead, he launched himself toward the source of the Demonic Energy.
Wings slicing the air, his form rocketed through the sky like a fired shell.
“Catch him!”
“Don’t let him get away!”
Mistaking his movement for flight, the knights issued pursuit orders with triumphant zeal.
Seo Woojin ignored them entirely.
‘Where are you?’
The Demonic Energy was so potent it blanketed the entire city, making it hard to pinpoint its origin.
To evade the senses of Seo Woojin in Demon King Transformation—no mere pushover.
As he scowled and prepared to activate his Divine Dragon Eye.
Vrrr—!
The air trembled.
“Oh.”
He flared his wings wide, halting abruptly midair.
At that instant…
Kwaaaaa—!
A colossal slash erupted upward.
With enough force to rend the heavens, it grazed the tip of his nose before vanishing.
Swipe—
He brushed away the bead of blood from his nose tip.
Then turned toward its origin.
“You?”
Atop the spire of what appeared to be a church stood a woman gazing upward.
She flashed a grin and nodded.
“Didn’t think you’d dodge that. Guess the rumors aren’t all hype?”
She clapped in mock admiration, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
Seo Woojin stared at her as he descended slowly.
“You’re the ‘Black Existence’ who slew the Earth Dragon and Ruonbali?”
He smirked at her question seeking confirmation.
“And who the hell are you? One of the ten pieces of trash calling themselves Apostles? Oh, wait—nine now?”
He fired back with provocation of his own.
Her smile deepened.
“The name’s Xenonia. One of those trash you’re talking about.”
Seo Woojin’s hunch had been spot on.
She was one of the continent’s most notorious Apostles.
Though it was his first time hearing the name.
One of the three mightiest among the 13 Apostles.
The supreme Apostle, said to shun the world in endless seclusion and training.
And now Xenonia had surfaced in Derhan.
“You being here means the Apostles are backing Iyer, right?”
“Believe whatever you want.”
She shrugged off his question.
Then hoisted her sword.
A massive greatsword utterly at odds with her lithe frame.
‘That thing’s bigger than Goo Dong-hwan’s magic wand, isn’t it?’
It dwarfed even Goo’s so-called wand—what amounted to a sledgehammer—making it look quaint.
The sight of her wielding a blade at least twice her size was bizarre.
Like witnessing a glitch in physics.
Xenonia leveled the greatsword at Seo Woojin.
“Let’s throw down first. You’re supposed to be that strong, right?”
Seo Woojin currently brimmed with aroused Chaos Energy.
In full Demon King Transformation, the sheer pressure should defy imagination.
A powerhouse like Xenonia couldn’t possibly miss it.
Indeed, her fingertips quivered as she resisted it.
Yet she still goaded him into battle.
Seo Woojin let out a hollow chuckle.
“Unbelievable.”
She seemed stronger than other Apostles, but only marginally above the Guardians.
The current Seo Woojin could crush her barehanded—no sword required.
He couldn’t fathom what gave such a insignificant foe the gall.
“Well, whatever.”
Rude or deranged, it made no difference.
He intended to kill her regardless.
No point overthinking a worthless opponent.
“Want to die that badly? Bring it.”
He cocked his head.
In the same instant, Xenonia lunged forward.
Boom—!
The church spire buckled under the force and crumbled.
Amid the billowing dust, her figure surged.
Whoosh—!
The greatsword rent space as it barreled toward his neck.
But Seo Woojin didn’t budge.
He knew a mere slash couldn’t breach his skin.
Clang—!
The greatsword smashed into his outer hide.
And stopped dead.
Without piercing so much as a millimeter.
“…Tough one, aren’t you?”
Xenonia’s eyes widened.
She’d anticipated minimal impact, but not a complete failure to even lodge the blade.
Seo Woojin, meanwhile, betrayed faint surprise.
‘More impact than expected.’
It hadn’t breached, but the transmitted shock was no joke.
He frowned and raised a hand.
Swipe—
Then shoved the sword aside.
“What was your name again?”
Seo Woojin asked.
Until now, he’d dismissed her as dead meat unworthy of note, but curiosity stirred.
Xenonia grinned and repeated it.
“Xenonia.”
“Right—Xenonia.”
Meeting her gaze, he spoke.
“You’re strong.”
The strongest he’d encountered yet.
Perhaps on par solely with the Sky Tower’s Sword Sage.
A league apart from Gerald, Reina, or Ruonbali.
Even the Earth Dragon would bow before her.
Seo Woojin resolved to engage her earnestly.
“Right? Among us, only one’s stronger than me.”
Intrigued by the mention of an Apostle surpassing her.
But he held his questions.
Curiosities could wait until the dust settled.
He raised his hitherto lowered sword.
“Now you take this one.”
Seo Woojin’s blade cleaved space.
Unlike her slash that tore all asunder.
It carved a flawless straight line from sky to earth, utterly devoid of excess.
Slash—!
A spray of blood droplets erupted.